Kamen Rider Unicorn: Hyper Battle Special!

by PoisonClaw

S: Special Episode / The Two-In-One Kamen Rider!

“All rise.”

Diamond Tiara felt numb as she stood up, staring at the ground with her hands balled together. The air in the courtroom made her sick, filled with the musty odor of sweat, old cigarettes, and cheap cologne. As everyone in attendance sat back down, she briefly glanced up towards the centre of the room, where her father sat nervously alongside his lawyer at one desk, while the other was occupied by her mother and her own lawyer.

Diamond Tiara didn’t need to see her mother’s face to know she was sporting a smug grin, so astute in her ensured victory. And why wouldn’t she be? Even Diamond Tiara knew that this hearing was little more than a formality, and that her future had already been decided for her. In just a few hours, she’d be shipped off to some rich private school and her life as she knew it would be over.

On and on the proceedings went, as both her parent’s lawyers stepped forward to present their respective case and evidence. Diamond Tiara largely ignored the legal jargon, sitting quietly. Every so often, she would glance towards the courtroom doors, holding tightly onto a thin sliver of hope that any minute her hero would come strolling through the doors and rescue her from her fate.

Sadly, the doors remained shut. Eventually, the court came to an end, the judge raising his gavel as he prepared to announce his decision. “It is by the power vested in me that I do declare—”

“HOLD IT!”

Everyone in attendance looked back as the doors to the courtroom were thrown open, a hushed gasp sweeping through the room as none other than Kamen Rider Unicorn strolled into the courtroom. Though her face was hidden by her helmet, the way she confidently walked towards the podium made it clear she was here with a purpose.

Whispered muttering began to fill the room. “Is that…?”

“It-it’s Unicorn!”

“Really?! Take a picture, quick!”

“What’s she doing here?”

“Isn’t she a wanted vigilante?

“Why then would she come to a courtroom of all places?”

Diamond Tiara gripped the back of her seat tightly, her eyes wide at the sight of the hero she had watched again and again on tv now standing before her. “She… she’s really here…”

Reacting to the sudden intrusion, the bailiffs all drew their sidearms and aimed them at Unicorn as she stopped at the front of the spectator’s Gallery. Not one of them lowered their weapon

Glancing around the courtroom, Unicorn took in the shocked expressions of the spectators around her. Looking over at the Defendant and Prosecution benches, both Filthy Rich and his lawyer looked floored, their mouths hanging open at the sight of her. The same could be said for Spoiled Rich’s lawyer as well. Spoiled Rich, on the other hand, seemed to regard Unicorn’s presence as little more than a minor annoyance, rolling her eyes at the interruption.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” Unicorn greeted cordially, like you would greet a room of guests attending a fancy party. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, your Honor?”

The bailiffs all tightened their grip on their weapons, slowly taking cautious steps towards the Kamen Rider.

Leaning forward in his seat, the judge rested his hand against the desk as he cast his gaze over Unicorn. “As a matter of fact, you are,” the judge stated matter-of-factly. “I was just about to announce a verdict before your disruptive arrival.”

“Then it would seem I’m just in time,” Unicorn replied, meeting the judge’s eyes,“because I have information pertaining to this case that I would like to submit to the court.”

“Oh?” The judge raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the response. “Do you now?”

“Your Honor, this is preposterous!” Spoiled Rich’s lawyer shouted, pointing accusingly at Kamen Rider Unicorn. “Unicorn is a known vigilante wanted by the police, and she thinks she can just waltz in here and disrupt a court of law?! She should be removed from the premises at once!”

The bailiffs seemed to agree with him, taking another step towards Unicorn.

The judge placed a hand on his chin, taking a moment to consider the matter. After a few moments of pondering, he replied, “Be that as it may, I would still like to hear Unicorn’s testimony.” Before Spoiled’s lawyer could argue further, the judge banged his gavel loudly against his desk. “Penned Brush, swear her in.”

One of the bailiffs, Penned Brush, flinched slightly at the sound of his name, glancing briefly at the judge before turning to Unicorn suspiciously. Reluctantly, he holstered his side arm, the other bailiffs following his lead as he walked up to Unicorn. “Raise your right hand.”

Doing so, Unicorn stood tall as Penned Brush recited, “Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to present to the court is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”

“I do affirm that the evidence to be given by me, Kamen Rider Unicorn, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

With a nod, Penned Brush stepped back to his post, not once taking his eyes off her. A hush had fallen over the room at the sudden turn of events. It was so quiet that a pen hitting the floor would have sounded like a jet engine.

The silence was finally broken by the judge taking a deep breath, his chair creaking as he leaned back. “Proceed.”

“Thank you, your Honor,” Unicorn replied with a respectful bow. “Before I begin, there is something I would like to confirm first. The basis for this gathering is to determine who will take custody of Mr. and Mrs. Rich’s daughter, Diamond Tiara, correct?”

“That is correct,” the judge confirmed.

Diamond Tiara watched with bated breath as Unicorn stood before the judge. As Unicorn glanced over her shoulder, her eyes met Diamond Tiara’s. Though no words were spoken between them, Diamond Tiara felt Unicorn’s message in her heart loud and clear:

It’s going to be alright, I promise.

“Unicorn…” Filthy Rich growled, clenching his fist. “This case is none of your concern. Shouldn’t you be out hunting some monster or something?”

“Funny you should say that, Mr. Rich…” Unicorn muttered with a chuckle, glancing at Filthy Rich. “Because that’s exactly why I’m here.”

Filthy Rich blinked, his mouth hanging open.

“Several days ago,” Unicorn continued, “a monster attacked the city, causing massive damage to a large area of the city. Prior to this, someone also attacked several businesses, all of which were owned by Rich Industries. Further investigation into the monster’s whereabouts led me to discover threats sent from an unknown person to the rich family, demanding large sums of money.”

Spoiled’s lawyer shot up from his seat. “Object—”

“Overruled!” The judge harshly yelled, slamming his gavel harder than was necessary. As the room fell silent again, he nodded at Unicorn to continue.

Nodding, Unicorn held up her hand, raising a finger as she listed off one after another, “The attack on the city, the attack on businesses owned by Rich Industries and finally the extortion of money. I have reason to believe that all three were carried out by the same perpetrator.”

“Interesting…” The judge muttered, before asking, “However, you’ve yet to explain to the court as to a motive for these attacks, besides mere financial gain. What was this perpetrator seeking to gain from all this?”

“Why don’t you ask them yourself?” Unicorn replied. “They’re standing in this very room right now.”

Many in attendance gasped at the brazen accusation before a thick silence fell over the room. Spectators glanced nervously around the room, trying to spot the monster hiding amongst them.

“And the culprit…” Whipping around, Unicorn pointed towards a single person in the room, her gaze falling on the true culprit. “... Is you, Spoiled Rich!”

Everyone in attendance turned to gaze at Spoiled RIch, who seemed unfazed by the accusation. She shook with barely restrained laughter, glaring at Unicorn with her arms crossed over her chest. “Have you no shame?” she condescendingly replied. “You, a known vigilante, come barging in here and accuse me, a law-abiding citizen, of being some kind of nefarious monster? How absurd!”

Sparing a moment to toss her curls over her shoulder, she looked down her nose at the masked hero. “I would sue you for slander if it weren’t the least of your problems. Why would I, matriarch of the Rich estate, go to such lengths to ruin my own family’s company like that?”

“I asked myself the same question,” Unicorn replied, lowering her arm and turning her back to Spoiled Rich. “As the wife to Filthy Rich, you would obviously hold a sizable stake in the company, meaning that extorting your own company through threats and public destruction would only hurt you in the long run. That was until…” Turning back around, Unicorn snapped her fingers, causing a vanilla folder to appeared in her hand in a flash of turquoise light. “... I found this.”

Filthy Rich’s eyes widened at the sight of the folder. Even Spoiled Rich’s haughty demeanor seemed to slip at the appearance of the folder, her face noticeably paling. “Where did you get that!?” she snarled, taking a step forward as if to snatch the folder from Unicorn’s grasp.

“I have my sources. I would like to move to present these files as evidence to the court.” She looked to the judge for approval.

“Motion carried. Penned Brush?” The same bailiff walked up and collected the file from Unicorn, passing it over to the judge for review. Silence once more fell over the room as the judge reviewed the files presented to him.

After several moments, the judge set the files down in front of him. “These are divorce papers, with both Mr. and Mrs. Rich’s signatures signed in full. Filthy Rich, can you confirm the legitimacy of these documents?” Handing the files back to the bailiff, they were presented to Filthy Rich, whose eyes grew wider and wider as he scanned through the documents.

Gulping loudly, Filthy Rich finally replied, “Yes, your Honor, these are the divorce papers I signed with my wif— ex-wife, Spoiled Rich.”

“Objection!” Spoiled Rich’s lawyer once more objected. “Whatever the state of the Rich’s marriage may be, it matters little regarding the current case!”

“Oh, I would say it has everything to do with the current case,” Unicorn interjected. “The date on the divorce documents makes it clear that they were signed three months ago, and yet Mr. and Mrs. Rich have remained together since then to keep up appearances and to likely iron out the final details of their divorce. However, this means that Spoiled Rich no longer holds any claim to the Rich estate and its fortune. Isn’t that right… Spoiled Milk?”

Spoiled bared her teeth at the mention of her maiden name, picking up light snickering from the spectator’s Gallery. “So what?!” she hissed, her previous smug superiority giving way to incensed anger.

“So, it explains everything. At the prospect of being cut off from the Rich family fortune, you conspired to claim what you see as rightfully yours, leading to the threats and demands for money. However, that was only the beginning. The destruction you caused was all to put further pressure on Rich Industries and, by extension, Filthy Rich himself. All leading up to today when the fate of your daughter is to be decided, to ensure the court would rule in your favor and she would be all yours to do with as you pleased. Admit it, Spoiled Milk!”

All eyes were once more on Spoiled Milk, who looked about ready to explode. Even her lawyer’s confidence seemed to vanish under the weight of these accusations, slowly backing away from his client.

Taking a deep breath through her nose, Spoiled seemed to dial her fury back as she glared at Unicorn. “You spin a good yarn, but do you know what I don’t hear? Any. Actual. PROOF!” Several people jumped as Spoiled slammed her hand against the table. “All you’ve done is spout baseless slander and go rooting through my secure files in an attempt to drag my name through the mud! Did Filthy hire you to stage this ludicrous show to win the court’s favor? It certainly sounds like something he’d pulled… ” She glared at Filthy Rich out of the corner of her eye.

Unicorn was silent for a moment, her expression hidden behind her helmet. “Even if you argue everything I’ve presented is ‘baseless’, I have one final question. Everyone is here to decide the fate of Diamond Tiara’s future… yet has anyone stopped and asked her what she wants?”

Spoiled scoffed. “Why should that matter? I am Diamond Tiara’s mother, and I know what’s best for her. Asking her would be pointless!” Stomping her heel against the floor, she glanced wildly at the bailiffs standing around the room. “I’ve heard enough of this hogwash! Won’t someone remove this interloper already!?”

Slowly, the bailiffs once more moved to remove Unicorn from the courtroom, their hands inching towards their sidearms. Unicorn stood tall as they approached, not once raising a fist in her defense.

“WAIT!”

Everyone came to a halt as Diamond Tiara ran from the stands and embraced Unicorn. Looking up at the judge, she cried out, “I want to testify!”

“Diamond Tiara!” Spoiled scowled, glaring harshly at her daughter’s presence. “This matter doesn’t concern you! Return to your seat at once!”

But Diamond Tiara refused to budge, burying her face in Unicorn’s chest.

Spoiled’s scowl only increased at Diamond’s insubordination. “This is not up to debate! Return to your seat NOW!” Stomping her heel, Spoiled moved to reprimand her daughter.

“Hold, Spoiled,” The judge interjected, stopping her in her place. “I would like to hear from miss Diamond Tiara.”

Spoiled spun around, staring incredulously at the judge. “But… but your Honor! This is pointless!”

“I will decide what is and isn’t pointless in my courtroom.” The judge coldly replied, turning his attention to Diamond Tiara. “Step forward, Diamond Tiara,” he calmly said, urging to her to speak.

Diamond Tiara wanted to do as he asked, but she felt her body freeze under her mother’s imposing gaze, her legs trembling as the refused to move. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders, gazing up to find Unicorn looking down at her. Even with her face hidden, Diamond Tiara got the impression she was smiling down at her.

“Go on, Diamond Tiara,” Unicorn said, reaching up and patting Diamond Tiara lightly on the head. “You can do it, I believe in you.”

Hearing those words from her hero seemed to ignite a fire in Diamond Tiara. Nodding, Diamond Tiara stepped back from Unicorn, holding her arms against her side as she stepped towards the podium. As she back by the desks, she felt her mother’s icy glare bore into her. Despite that, Diamond Tiara managed to step up to the podium, looking up at the judge.

“I… I…” Diamond Tiara stuttered, her confidence beginning to waver. Glancing behind her, she met her father’s eyes. He was smiling at her, his eyes filled with warmth that made Diamond Tiara’s heart warm. As her confidence reignited, she looked the judge in the eye and yelled, “I don’t want to stay with Mother! She’s a monster!”

“Diamond Tiara!” Spoiled shouted angrily, but Diamond Tiara would not be deterred.

“She treats me like some kind of doll, forcing me to do things just for her benefit! She constantly abuses the staff, and that’s not before she drinks too much! She’s the reason I have trouble making friends, because she thinks the entire school is full of nothing but worthless peasants and punishes me if I so much as even think of making friends! All she wants to do is ship me off to some stuffy private school so she doesn’t have to deal with me!”

Panting heavily following her emotional outburst, Diamond Tiara ran from the podium into her father’s arms, burying her face in his coat as tears streamed down her face. “I want to stay with you, Father! Even when you’re busy with work, you still make sure to find time to spend with me and you’re always there to listen to me when I need you! I love you, I love going to Canterlot High and I don’t want to leave you!”

Filthy Rich crouched down and wrapped his arms around her, barely holding back his own tears as he consoled his daughter. “I love you too, Diamond Tiara. That’s why I sent you to a public school like Canterlot High instead of a private school like my father did. I hated every moment at that school, forced to treat people like business acquisitions instead of real people and I refused to put you through that. I wanting to make sure more than anything that you made real friendships that would last you a lifetime.”

Holding his daughter close, Filthy Rich ran a hand comfortingly down Diamond Tiara’s back. “You’re the single most precious thing I could have ever asked for, and I only ever wanted you to be happy. I got so caught up in my company, I became so blind to your struggles. Oh, Diamond, will you ever forgive me?”

“Of-of course! Of course I forgive you!” Diamond Tiara said between choked sobs.

Not a word was spoken as everyone let the Father and daughter have their moment together, with many spectators now glaring at Spoiled Milk, since many of them had children at Canterlot High and didn’t take too kindly to hearing them being called “worthless peasants” behind their backs. The judge leaned back in his chair, the smile on his face giving away what his final ruling would ultimately be.

Spoiled Milk’s teeth ground together so harshly it was a wonder none of them chipped from the pressure, able to do nothing but stand there as her carefully crafted plan crumbled around her. Carefully, her lawyer put a hand on her shoulder as he tried to reassure her. “Do-don’t worry, Spoiled. I can try to get the courts to review the case and provide us a second chance to—”

“USELESS!” Whipping around, Spoiled slapped her lawyer hard across the face, sending him reeling as the spectators all gasped at the outburst. “Useless, all of you!” Snarling, she turned to glare at Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara, the fury on her face prompting Filthy to hold his daughter protectively. “If none of you useless fools can do anything right…” Pulling out a golden Gaia Memory with wing decals extending from the top, she gripped the Memory tightly in her hand. “Then I’ll have to do everything myself!”

< QUETZALCOATLUS! >

“No!” Unicorn moved to stop her, but Spoiled Milk was a second quicker, pulling one of the golden bands on her left arm back to reveal her Living Connector mark and jabbing the Gaia Memory into it. A golden light envolved her body as a fierce wind surrounded her, knocking Unicorn back and sending loose papers and hats flying. When the light and wind finally dissipated, the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant was now standing in Spoiled’s place.

Cries of panic filled the room as spectators scrambled for the door, tripping over one another in their mad dash to flee. The bailiffs all wasted little time and drawing their weapons and peppering the Dopant with gunfire, all of which bounced harmlessly off her body. Ignoring them, Spoiled Milk charged Filthy Rich, her claws raised. “Give her to me!”

“No!” Whirling around instinctively, he cried out as her claws tore across his back, leaving three jagged claw marks across his back.

“Daddy!” Diamond Tiara cried out as her father fell onto his side, the back of his suit in tatters. She shrieked as she was harshly grabbed by the wrist and hauled to her feet, staring wide-eyed at the face of what had once been her mother. “Let me go!” she demanded, struggling to wrestle herself free from her mother’s grip, only for her mother to tighten her grip enough to dig her claws into Diamond Tiara’s arm. “Ow, that hurts!”

“This pain is nothing to what I’ll do to you for disobeying me, Diamond Tiara! You belong to me!”

“Let her go, Spoiled Milk!”

Spoiled glanced over her shoulder to see Unicorn back on her feet and running towards her. Growling, she grabbed Diamond Tiara by the waist and clutched her against her chest as her wings unfurled. Bracing her talons against the ground, she shot into the air, crashing through the courtroom windows as she took off into the city, Diamond Tiara’s cries growing more and more distance by the second.

“Diamond Tiara!” Sunset yelled out as the Dopant took off with the girl in tow. Quickly kneeling down next to the injured Filthy Rich, she breathed a sigh of relief after seeing he was still breathing. “Mr. Rich, can you hear me?”

Filthy Rich’s arm shot out and grabbed Unicorn by the wrist, grunting as he turned his head to look up at her. “For-forget about me…” he muttered through the pain. “Please, rescue my daughter… I beg of you…”

Unicorn was silent for a moment, before nodding her head. “I’ll get her back, I promise.”

“Unicorn!” At the sound of her name, Unicorn glanced up to see Penned Brush running up to her before kneeling down next to Filthy Rich. “I’ll get him out of here, you go and get the girl back!”

“Right! Thanks!” Pulling out a green Gaia Memory, Unicorn slotted it into her left hip port.

{< CYCLONE! MIMETIC DRIVE! >}

In whirlwind of emerald wind, Unicorn stood empowered by the energies of the Cyclone Memory. Parts of her armor were now tinted the same emerald green with wispy patterns tracing across her armor, while her gauntlets now possessed winged edges. Wing-shaped frills extended out from the sides of her boots and helmet, while a long red scarf wrapped around her neck, its twin tails flapping in the wind.

“Unicorn: Mystic Cyclone!”

An aura of wind encompassed Unicorn as she leapt into the air towards the shattered windows, the twin tails of her scarf transforming into gilder wings. Concentrating, Unicorn formed stepping stones of hardened air in front of her, creating a path as she raced after the fleeing Dopant.

As Penned Brush threw Filthy Rich’s arm over his shoulders and hauled the man up onto his feet, he glanced up at Unicorn’s fleeing form. The animosity he had held towards her had greatly diminished, causing a smile to peak at the edges of his lips as she took chase after the monster. “Give her hell, Unicorn.”

***

“—They’re magically delic— Can be yours for only twelve easy payments of nineteen ninety— Cloudy with a chance of showers later— Luke, I — Didn’t see you playing with your dolls again, sir!”

Rainbow groaned for the hundredth time as she flopped back onto her pillow. She had been wracked with boredom for the last hour or so with no end in sight. After staring at the clock had grown tiresome and the bulb in the lamp next to her bed had blown after flicking it on and off again, Rainbow had resorted to trying to find something to keep her sane on the hospital’s tv, which had yet to yield fruit. Staring up at the ceiling, she idly flipped through the channels one after another.

“Breaking news, Kamen Rider—”

“Wait, what!?” Shooting up in bed, Rainbow quickly flipped back to the previous channel, stopping on a news station. A huge bulletin at the bottom of the screen loudly proclaimed “Monster Attacks Courthouse! Unicorn in Pursuit!”

“And now we cut to our on the scene reporter, Rainy Days. What can you tell us, Rainy Days?”

The scene cut to inside a helicopter soaring above the city, the deafening whirl of the helicopter blades requiring the reporter to shout as she gripped tightly onto the restraints inside the aircraft. “I’m currently flying across Central Canterlot, where only moments ago a monster fled from the courthouse! Early reports seem to indicate it as the same monster that previous attacked the city just days ago! As I speak, my crew and I are moving in for a closer— There it is!”

The camera suddenly panned before zooming in, focusing on the of a winged monster soaring across the sky.

“It’s the turkey!” Rainbow gasped, her eyes fixated on the image on the screen.

“Hold on, what is it carrying? Zoom in more!” Again, the camera zoomed in on the Dopant. Though the image quality was blurry, there was no mistaking the form struggling it it’s grip. “I… I think it’s got a hostage with it!” Suddenly, the camera jerked as something flew into frame. “My god, it’s Kamen Rider Unicorn! She currently seems to be in hot pursuit of the creature and gaining fast!”

Sure enough, Unicorn was leaping through the air in her Mystic Cyclone form, swiftly gaining on the fleeing Dopant.

“Come on, Sunset,” Rainbow muttered, clenching her sheets tightly. “I know you can do it…”

***

Wind whipped past Sunset’s head as she bounded after the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant, literally running on thin air. I need to get Diamond Tiara away from her somehow, but if she lets go of her, then Diamond will… Pushing that thought aside, she picked up the pace as the distance between her and Spoiled milk grew shorter and shorter.

Despite it all, Diamond Tiara continued to struggle against her mother’s grip. “Let… me… go!”

“Stop squirming, you stupid brat!” Spoiled Milk screeched as she held onto her daughter. “Don’t think I won’t hesitate to let you fall if it means your pathetic father can’t have you. Once I’ve taught you some proper manners, I can send you off to a boarding school like I planned.”

“You’re horrible!” Diamond Tiara replied, only struggling more. “I’ll never obey you, never!”

“Oh, you will, child… no matter how much pain I have to inflict before you kneel before me!”

“Give it up, Spoiled!” Whipping her head around, the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant squawked at the sight of Unicorn only a few feet away. “Hold on, Diamond! I’m here to save you!”

“Unicorn!” Diamond Tiara cheered at the sight of her hero, only to shriek as her mother’s claws tightened around her.

“You dare defy the will of a god!? I won’t let anyone else have her, she belongs to me!” With a shrill shriek, she turned around and belched a fireball at Unicorn.

Using her glider wings to angle her descent, Unicorn swerved to avoid the fireball. However, a loud explosion caused her to glance down, gasping at the sight of several cars coming to a squealing halt to avoid driving into a wall of flame. “The citizens!”

“That’s right, Unicorn!” The Dopant taunted. “Either you or the citizens, what’s it going to be!?” Another bulge formed in her gullet before she hurled another fireball at the Kamen Rider, forcing her to brace herself as the fireball slammed into and sent her plummeting several feet before she steadied herself.

Diamond Tiara watched in horror as her mother launched one fireball after another, cackling as Unicorn was forced on the defensive as she threw up walls of wind to protect herself against the onslaught. Still, it was a losing battle, as Unicorn continued to lose altitude from the constant barrage. I’ve got to do something!

Thinking fast, Diamond Tiara waited until she heard the sickening squelching noise of her mother forming another fireball before whipping her head back and slamming it against the forming bulge, causing the fireball to explode in Spoiled’s throat. The Dopant hacked and gagged as fireball burst in her throat, losing her hold on Diamond Tiara and dropping her towards the ground.

“No!” Angling her wings, Unicorn spun into a nosedive as she blitzed towards the falling girl. “Almost… there…”

As the ground came closer and closer, Diamond Tiara’s screams only intensified as she tumbled through the air in freefall. Suddenly, she felt something slam into her as a pair of arms wrapped around her.

“Got ya!” Banking sharply, Unicorn held onto Diamond Tiara tightly as she descended to the ground, touching down on an empty section of highway. Crouching down, she set Diamond Tiara on her feet. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yes, I’m alright…” Diamond Tiara stuttered, her heart hammering away in her chest from the near-death experience she’d just experienced.

“That was reckless! What were you thinking?”

“I had to do something! Besides, I knew you would save me! You’re my hero, Unicorn!” In a blink, Diamond Tiara reached up and hugged Unicorn, startling the Kamen Rider for a moment before she returned the hug.

The moment was broken by the blare of rapidly approaching police sirens. Looking up, the pair watched as several police cruisers came to a screeching halt several feet from them. The driver’s side door of the lead car was thrown open as Shining Armor leapt out. Rushing over to them, he kneeled down next to Diamond Tiara. “Miss, are you alright? That monster didn’t hurt you, did it?”

“I’m fine,” she replied with a smile, glancing at Unicorn. “Unicorn was here to protect me!”

Looking up at the Kamen Rider, Shining Armor didn’t even try and hide his distrust of the masked hero, a frown creasing across his face. Even still, he turned to face her and muttered, “Thank you for rescuing her, Unicorn.”

“It was nothing,” Unicorn replied. “I made a promise to her father to get her back safely.”

“Daddy!” At the mention of her father, Diamond Tiara ran up to Shining Armor and looked up at him with a pleading look in her eyes. “Is my daddy okay? Where is he?!”

“Don’t worry,” Shining Armor quickly reassured her. “You father is currently being transported to a hospital to have his injuries treated. I can take you to him.”

“She’s not going anywhere!” A loud crash rang through the air as the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant slammed into the highway, carving a crater in the road from the impact. “Get your hands off my property!”

“Get her out of here!” Unicorn commanded, placing herself between Diamond Tiara and the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant. “I’ll handle this, you just focus on getting her to safety!”

As much as it riled him up being ordered around by her, Shining Armor knew there was little else he could do. Scooping Diamond Tiara up in his arms, he took off for his cruiser.

Seeing him taking Diamond Tiara away, Spoiled shrieked as she flew forward, her claws posed to snatch her away from him. Before she could get close though, she slammed face first into a wall of magically charged wind in front of her, sending her crashing back. By the time she recovered, the police cruisers were already speeding away.

“Sorry, Spoiled," Unicorn taunted as she raised her fists and widened her stance. “You want to get to her, you’ll have to go through me first!”

“Gladly! I’ll tear you apart just as easily as I did that foolish partner of yours!”

***

Rainbow watched the fight unfold on the news, feeling the sinking feeling of dread building in her stomach. Even though Sunset was putting up a good fight, Rainbow knew just how powerful the Dopant was and she could tell that Sunset was just barely holding her own again the monster. “She still has her trump card, but even that might not be enough… I’ve got to do something!”

Leaping out of bed, Rainbow ignored the throbbing pain in her arms and legs as she summoned her Nasca Driver and slapped it against her waist. Pulling out her Nasca Memory, she held it out in front of her.

< NASCA! >

“Hen—Ahh!” Rainbow’s legs seemed to fall out from under her as she collapsed face first onto the floor, the Memory slipping from her grasp and skidding across the floor out of her reach. Grunting, Rainbow struggled to raise her head, extending her arm as she slowly crawled across the floor to retrieve the Gaia Memory. “Can’t… give up… now… Sunset… needs me…”

As her fingers finally curled around the Nasca Memory, the door to her room opened. “Hey, Rainbow! We’re here to vis— RAINBOW!” Slamming the door behind them, Rainbow’s parents ran over to their daughter and helped her up and back onto her bed. All it took was one look at the Nasca Driver around Rainbow’s waist for their looks to turn sour.

“Rainbow, you can’t seriously be thinking about going out there like this!” Her mother harshly reprimanded. “You need to rest!”

“I can’t just sit here!” Rainbow argued, turning her head to glance at the tv. Her parents followed her gaze in time to watch Unicorn get knocked clear across the highway, losing her Mystic Cyclone form in the process. “She shouldn’t have to fight that thing alone! I have to help!”

“How?” Her father interjected, staring her down. “By getting in her way? You’re not stupid, Dash. Even you know that you won’t be any help with those injuries.”

“But… but still…” Hanging her head, Rainbow ground her teeth together as she glanced down at the Nasca Memory still clutched in her hand.

With a sigh, Bow Hothoof sat down on the bed and placed his hand on Rainbow’s, causing her to glance up at him. “Listen to me, Rainbow. Your mother and I have never stopped you from doing what you thought was right. When you told us about all this superheroing stuff, we were proud of you for wanting to help people in such a big way. Yet, after everything that’s happened and seeing you put yourself at risk time and time again, we can’t help but be parents and worry about you.”

Pulling his hand back, he stood up. “This isn’t the first time you’ve hurt yourself and I know for a fact that it won’t be the last, but if you go out there like you are now, all you’ll do is get in the way and risk inflicting potentially permanent damage to yourself. Again, I know you can be reckless, Dash, but you’re not stupid.”

Rainbow was silent, hanging her head again. “... I know…” she grumbled. “I just hate when I can’t be there for my friends… I wish there was something I could do…”

“Sadly, all you can do now is trust Unicorn and hope for the best.” Glancing up at the tv, Bow smiled. “Afterall, if she’s your partner, then she must be something special.”

***

Sunset gasped for breath, panting as she stood opposite the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant. Though she’d managed to get more than a few hits in, she could feel the strain starting to show, while her opponent still looked ready for more.

“Give up, Unicorn, and I’ll make your death quick and painless.” Spoiled Milk taunted. “Afterall, an insignificant mortal like you could never hope to stand up to GOD like me—ACK!” She flinched back as a bolt of mana struck her shoulder, glaring at Unicorn as the glow slowly faded from her horn.

“Give it a rest, Spoiled Milk,” Unicorn said in annoyance. “Hate to break it to you, but I’ve met a real goddess before and you don’t even begin to compare to her.” In a flash of golden light, a yellow Memory appeared in Unicorn’s hand, the symbol of an ‘S’ in the shape of a shining sun on the front.

< SHINING! >

Only got one shot at this, so better make it count!

{< SHINING! MIMETIC DRIVE! >}

A pillar of blinding light enveloped Unicorn’s body, bright enough to be visible for miles and forcing Spoiled to cover her eyes to avoid being blinded by its brilliant radiance. In a flash, the light vanished to reveal a new Unicorn.

The turquoise of her armor had changed to a golden yellow, the previously sun metal lines now turquoise as they weaved across Unicorn’s body to form runic sigils. The aquamarine eyes of Unicorn’s helmet had changed to turquoise as well, with golden wings similar extended from the sides of her helmet like her Mystic Cyclone form. The metal edge around her crystal horn had been transmuted into gold alongside her armor. Finally, a pair of shimmering cloths extended from her shoulders, emanating an aurora as if woven from liquid rainbow.

“Unicorn: Shining Day!”

In a blitz of golden light, Unicorn dashed up to Spoiled and clocked her clear across the beak, sending her stumbling back. Before Spoiled could recover, Unicorn unleashed a flurry of punches at the Dopant, her punches becoming a golden blur as she forced Spoiled back. As her last punch connected, she hit the trigger on her left hip port.

\ HONESTY! /

“BUNKER BUSTER!” Orange energy wrapped around her fist as she punched the Dopant straight in the chest. A burst of air followed the blow as the Dopant was sent rocketing onto another stretch of highway, several cars coming to a grinding halt as the monster crashing through the median. Numerous drivers fled their vehicles as Unicorn came soaring in on wings of golden light, touching down as Spoiled managed to pull herself to her feet.

Growling, Spoiled snapped her finger and summoned a line of maid archers in front of her. “Fire!” At her call, the four maid constructs let fly a volley of crossbow bolts at the golden armored Rider. As the bolts sped towards her, Unicorn hit her left hip port again, twice this time.

\\ KINDNESS! //

“Graceful Melody.” A soothing wind swept around Unicorn, stopping the bolts in mid-air and dispelling them into motes of light resembling fireflies. With a wave of her hand, the same wind enveloped the row of archers, carrying with it a soothing melody reminiscent of a mother’s lullaby. At once, all four archers lowered their crossbows, no longer possessing the will to fight. In a burst of light, all four constructs disappeared, leaving the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant staring flabbergasted at their disappearance.

“Traitors!” Summoning her weapon, she charged at Unicorn, swinging her weapon wildly. Unicorn swerved to avoid one swing, ducking under another and leaping over a third before kicking Spoiled square in the jaw and sending her reeling.

Golden energy burned around Unicorn’s fist as she punched forward, slamming her fist into Spoiled’s bladed club as she raised it to protect herself. Cracks rapidly spiderwebbed across the weapon before shattering into bits, the force of the attack sending Spoiled stumbling back.

Seeing her chance, Unicorn hit against her left hip port five times in quick succession.

\\\\\ LOYALTY! /////

Bracing her hands together, a blade forged from crackling crimson energy formed in her hands as the shifting blade of energy grew to several feet over Unicorn’s head. “This is for Nasca! UNDYING LOYALTY!” Letting out a battle cry, Unicorn swung the sword at Spoiled Milk, whose eyes widened at the sight of the oncoming attack.

Grabbing the side of an abandoned van with her claws, Spoiled hurled it into the path of the oncoming blade, hoping to use it to stop the attack. The crimson blade slammed into the car in a shower of sparks, before slicing clean through it like a hot knife through butter and slashing across Spoiled’s chest.

The two halves of the vehicle exploded violently in a ball of fire, causing Unicorn to skid back from the shockwave. Holding an arm over her face, Unicorn stood her ground as metal shrapnel peppered against her armor, doing little if any damage. Peering through the wall of flame left in the wake of explosion, she spotted the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant on her hands and knees, visibly struggling to pick herself up. Her feathers were signed and her crown now lay in pieces on the pavement.

“Time to finish this!” Unicorn reached for the Shining Memory to perform a Maximum Drive, only for a jolt of energy to painfully shoot up her arm as her fingers came in contact with the Memory. She recoiled back as more and more sparks arced across her armor, wincing as the feedback of energy coursed through her body. “N-no! Not now!” In a flash of golden light, Unicorn reverted back to her base armor, dropping to one knee as she gasped for breath.

Cackling laughter bubbled up from the Dopant’s throat as she managed to get back on her feet. “Well, well... looks to me like you’ve reached your limit. As for me…” Golden flames enveloped Spoiled’s body as she began to grow, transforming into her monstrous form. Her talons dug into the pavement with each movement, her form towering over Unicorn and blanketing her in her shadow.

“I’m just getting started!”

***

Rainbow watched horrified as Unicorn was picked up in the monstrous Dopant’s beak and hurled across the highway like a rag doll, a sentiment shared by her parents, the newscaster and the majority of viewers practically glued to their screens at that very moment.

“Folks… I… I don’t know how much more of this I can watch. Could… could this be the end for Kamen Rider Unicorn?”

“Damn it... “ Rainbow cursed, her grip tightening on the Nasca Memory.

***

“Sunset!” Twilight shouted, shooting up out of her seat as she stared unblinking at the scene playing on her laptop screen. With every hit against the concrete, Twilight felt her heart leap into her throat as panic shot through her body.

“Come on, Sunset…” Twilight pleaded as she watched Sunset roll across the highway, tears threatening to spill down her face at how utterly helpless she was. “Please get up… You can’t…” She clamped her eyes shut as a tear rolled down her cheek and dripped onto her desk.

“You promised…”

***

Sunset grunted in pain as she slammed against the highway yet again, rolling to a stop. Her body screamed in agony and it took all her concentration just to hold onto her transformation lest she truly be at Spoiled’s mercy.

“Got… to… get ...up…” Her body felt like lead as she tried to push herself, wincing in pain. Suddenly, something slammed into her back, pressing her hard against the road. Struggling to turn her head, Sunset found the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant standing over her, it's massive talons trapping her to the concrete.

“Not so powerful now, are you, Unicorn?” Spoiled taunted as she pressed down harder, smirking as Unicorn cried out in pain.

***

“That it!” Rainbow shouted as she moved to get up. “I won’t sit by any longer!” Before she could get up, she felt her mother’s hands press against her shoulders and forced her back down. “Let me go!” Rainbow shouted, fighting against her mother’s grip.

“Dashie, you can’t go out there—”

“Am I just supposed to sit here then and watch as my partner —my friend!— is killed right in front of me!?” Rainbow replied, causing her parents to step back at the force in her voice and the tears running down her face. “I don’t care if I end up being crippled for life, I’m not abandoning her like that!”

Suddenly, the Nasca Memory in Dash’s hand began to shine with a golden light, illuminating the room and causing all three occupants to glance down at it.

“What… what’s going on?” Windy Whistles asked, staring in awe at the bright light.

Rainbow couldn’t take her eyes off the Gaia Memory. Though no words were spoken, she felt in her heart that it was trying to talk to her. “You feel the same way, don’t you? You want to go out there and help Unicorn as much as I do, right?”

The Nasca Memory flashed twice as if to confirm her suspicions.

A second light drew Rainbow’s eyes to the Nasca Driver still strapped around her waist. The left port was flashing in time with the Nasca Memory, as if instructing her what to do. “I hear ya loud and clear.” Holding up the Nasca Memory, she pressed down on the device.

< NASCA! >

Bow grabbed his daughter by the wrist to stop her. “Rainbow, you can’t—!”

“Dad, just trust me!” Rainbow replied, staring her father straight in the eyes. “I know what I’m doing, so please…”

Seconds passed by at a snail’s pace as Bow kept his gaze locked on his daughter. Eventually, he released his hold and stepped back. “Just… promise us you’ll come back to us, alright?”

Rainbow smiled. “I promise, Dad.” Glancing down at the Nasca Memory one last time, she steeled her nerves. “Right, here goes! Henshin!”

With a twist of her arm, she slotted the Nasca Memory into her left hip port and hit the button. The light radiating from the Memory only intensified as it shot into the air, forming into a bird with a body of pure light before flying through the window and disappeared into the distance.

“Rainbow!” Bow lunged forward as Rainbow collapsed back, her body falling limp in his arms. Her chest rose and fell steadily with each breath, but she was unresponsive otherwise. “Rainbow, what happened? Say something!” Rainbow refused to respond even as her father shook her by the shoulders, having seemingly fallen into a deep sleep.

***

“This is all your fault!” The Dopant squawked as she ground Unicorn into the tarmac. “All those stupid videos of you swooping in to save the day, they’re the reason Diamond Tiara got the idea in her head that she could disobey me! But heroes only exist in fairy tales, and once I kill you I’ll finally stamp out all of those rebellious fantasies of hers!”

Is… is this the end? Sunset gasped as her lungs desperately begged for air, the edges of her vision going black. Twilight... Looks like I won’t be able to keep my promise…

CAAAW!

In a streak of golden light, something slammed dead centre into the monstrous Dopant’s chest, forcing it back and toppling over onto its back. No longer trapped under its talon, Unicorn gasped for air as she pushed herself up, shaking the spots from her vision. Glancing up, her eyes followed the bird of light as it soared overhead. “A new Gaia Memory?”

The golden bird let out a cry as it banked downward, allowing Unicorn to snatch it out of the air with her hand. Flipping her hand around to catch a glimpse of the Gaia Memory, her eyes widened at the familiar golden yellow Memory in her hand, the symbol of an ‘N’ emblazoned on the front. “This… this is…!”

The Nasca Memory flashed with a blinding radiance, forcing Sunset to shut her eyes as the light became too unbearable. When next she opened them, she was somewhere else altogether. No longer in her Unicorn armor, Sunset found herself standing in the centre of an expansive hallway that seemed to stretch on for miles. The tiled flooring had been polished to an almost mirror shine, alongside a velvet red carpet with golden siding running straight down the middle from one end of the hallway to the other.

Marble pillars spaced equal distances apart ran from floor to ceiling on either side of her, banners depicting the image of a sun and moon hanging from the ceiling. Massive windows lined the walls, letting in the light of the sun and casting a kaleidoscope of color across the floor.

Walking up to one of the windows, Sunset pressed her face up against the glass to peer outside. An exuberant garden lay outside the window, filled to the brim with flowers of every known description delicately arranged across the grounds, birds chirping happily as the flew the air and passed by the window Sunset was peering through.

Her breath caught in her throat, a familiar longing sensation filling her chest as she recognized the surrounding landscape.

“Is this… Canterlot palace?”

“You just gonna let that turkey walk all over you like that?”

Sunset spun around at the sudden voice, her eyes widening at the sight of the rainbow-haired girl leaning against one of the pillars with her arms crossed over her chest and a smirk on her face. “R-Rainbow?!”

“Yo,” Rainbow greeted, waving at Sunset. “Nice place ya got here.”

“What… how…” Sunset stuttered, a million questions on the tip of her tongue. “What are you doing here? And where is here exactly?”

Rainbow shrugged her shoulders. “Best guess? We’re in your head.”

“My… my head?”

“Don’t ask me how cause I have no idea either.” Sticking her hands in her pockets, Rainbow began to pace the width of the hallway. “I saw you on the news getting your ass whooped by that Dopant. I wanted so badly to run off and back you up, but because of my injuries…”

Holding out her hand, Rainbow glanced down at her open hand. “After you got hurt in that bash with Gilda, I was… scared.” Rainbow admitted, curling her fingers into a fist. “Scared that you were getting in way over your head and I couldn’t do anything to help. And if there’s one thing I hate more than anything, it’s being useless when my friends need me the most.

“After the Nasca Memory chose me though, I was so happy. Not because I had a chance of becoming an amazing super hero, and not even because it meant I got to whoop some baddies either. No, what I was happy about was the fact that it meant I wouldn’t have to sit uselessly on the sidelines anymore and watch you shoulder all this on your own.

Turning around, she pointed at the Nasca Memory still clutched tightly in Sunset’s hand. “Seems like that had the same idea. So, here I am! Not in person, but in spirit!” Crossing her arms over her chest, she asked, “What’s the plan?”

“... Plan?” Turning back towards the window, Sunset let her hand drop to her side as she stared out across the palace gardens. “There’s isn’t one.” Sighing, she placed her forehead against the glass. “This Dopant… she’s stronger than anything I’ve ever encountered before. I’ve thrown everything I have at her and she’s still standing. I’m at my limit…”

“Bull!” Rainbow shouted, stomping up to her and grabbing Sunset by the shoulder. Whirling her around to face her, Rainbow placed both hands on Sunset’s shoulder and looked her dead in the eyes. “After everything you’ve sacrificed to protect everyone, you’re just going to give up like that? Where’s the Sunset I know who refuses to give up, even when the chips are down?”

“But—

“But nothing! Take it from an athlete like me, limits are only there so you can inevitably push past them! Besides, isn’t it a Kamen Rider’s duty to protect people, no matter what?”

Sunset remained silent, hanging her head.

Releasing her grip on Sunset, Rainbow stepped back and crossed her arms once more, staring Sunset down. “So I’ll ask again: you just gonna let that turkey walk over you like that?”

Sunset was silent for a moment, her eyes fixated on the Nasca Memory. Then, a smile slowly spread across her lips as renewed determination flashed across her face. “Hell, no.”

“That’s the spirit!” Rainbow cheered, pumping her fist in the air. “Let’s go out there and kick that turkey’s tail feathers! After all…” Holding out her hand, Rainbow grinned. “Looking out for each other is what partners and friends do.”

Grinning, Sunset reached out and grabbed Rainbow’s hand, gripping it tightly. “Let’s do this, partner.”

“Right back at ya!”

In another bright flash of light, Sunset found herself back on the highway in her Unicorn armor, the Nasca Memory still held tightly in her hand. Getting to her feet, she spared one final glance at the Nasca Memory. Thanks, Rainbow.

With a shrill screech, the massive Quetzalcoatlus Dopant sprang back onto her talons, glaring at Unicorn from across the highway. “This ends now!”

“You’re right about one thing: this ends now...” Raising her arm up, Unicorn held the Nasca Memory out in front of her. “... for you, Spoiled Rich.”

< NASCA! >

An ethereal wind swept through the air, a transparent image of Kamen Rider Nasca appearing standing next to Unicorn. With synchronized movements, the two Riders slotted the Gaia Memory into their left hip port and slapped their palm against the side.

{< NASCA! MIMETIC DRIVE! >}

The wind suddenly kicked up into a roaring typhoon, surrounding Unicorn as the image of Nasca scattered into streams of energy and wrapped around Unicorn, bathing her in azure blue light. Bolts of vermillion lightning arched from the walls of the tornado as it climbed higher and higher into the sky.

“Whoa!” The newscaster cried out as she clung to the side of the helicopter door as the winds batted against their helicopter.

“Things are getting serious down there!” The pilot shouted over his shoulder as he yanked back on the controls. “Should we turn back?”

“Are you insane?! This is the scoop of a lifetime!”

Despite the massive whirlwind, the Quetzalcoatlus Dopant was undeterred, beating her massive wings and hurtling towards the raging winds. However, the moment her beak struck the typhoon, she was violently repelled back, squawking loudly as she bounced down the highway.

In the middle of the swirling winds stood a silhouetted figure, slowly raising their right arm and swinging it outward. The blade of a silver sword pierced through the wall of wind like a hot knife through butter, dispersing the winds in a single swing. With the winds gone, Unicorn stood revealed, now transformed into a new form.

The sun-metal lines on Unicorn’s armor had changed to an azure blue, now running across the length of her body in stylistic lines indicative of the Nazca lines. Sections of sky blue armor lay atop her own turquoise armor, covering the front of her forelegs and the sides of her legs up to her thighs. Blue bracers depicting the Bird Nazca line in black covered her wrists and forearms, black winged decals stretching across the pauldrons of her armor. Covering her torso was an armored blue chest plate, the Nasca symbol emblazoned on her left breast while the Unicorn symbol was on her right, a golden ‘X’ running between them.

An azure blue scarf wrapped around her neck, two trailing cloths slowly fading from blue to orange along the length of them fluttered against her back, The sides and top of Unicorn’s helmet had changed to the same blue color, her aquamarine eyes now shaped like a pair of wings. Finally, a crest of vermillion feathers fanned out from the base of her horn, a second horn curving back over her helmet.

Up above, the newscaster was at a loss for words. “I… I… I don’t know what I’m seeing, folks. Unicorn and Nasca… they’ve… merged somehow!”

“Big deal!” The massive Dopant scoffed, unimpressed. “Doesn’t matter what form you take, you’re still powerless before the might of a god!”

“Guess again, ya bloated turkey!” Came a new voice, Unicorn’s left eye flashing with every word.

The Quetzalcoatlus Dopant squawked loudly, recognizing the voice. “Y-You! You’re the child from before! But I defeated you!”

“You got lucky, that’s all! This time I’m here to help Unicorn put you down for good! Right, partner?”

“Eloquent as always, Nasca,” Unicorn replied with a chuckle. “Like I said, Spoiled Milk , I’ve met a real goddess before and you don’t even begin to compare to her.”

“Begone!” Throwing her head back, the Dopant hurled a car-sized fireball at Unicorn, intent on eliminating her once and for all.

Unicorn didn’t so much as flinch as she brought her sword up and sliced straight through the oncoming fireball, splitting it straight down the middle and sending the two halves shooting off to the side to explode behind her.

“Ready, Nasca?”

“Ready when you are, Unicorn!”

“Perfect.” Swinging her sword up, Unicorn leveled her blade at the Dopant, a pair of electric yellow wings shooting from her back as her scarf fluttered in the wind.

“Time to restore Harmony at sonic speeds! Kamen Rider Unicorn: Nasca Cross!”

Author's Note:

Sorry to those who may be disappointed by the reveal of the Dopant's identity. There's a reason I didn't add the "Mystery" tag.

Next time, the thrilling conclusion!

Comments

[DragonxFlutter]

That....that's too much badass! Especially when you start listening to this in your head when Sunset goes "Hell no!": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnx4ZdNR9x0

[Ze1a7in]

Yeah, that's a good reason to not add the "Mystery" tag. From the first scene with Diamond after the first Quetzalcoatlus attack, it was pretty obvious.

In other news:

“—They’re magically delic— Can be yours for only twelve easy payments of nineteen ninety— Cloudy with a chance of showers later— Luke, I — Didn’t see you playing with your dolls again, sir!”

🎼~ I spy a reference! ~🎼

[Ze1a7in]

8631301
Considering that Michael Ravencroft based Kamen Rider Unicorn after the Kamen Rider W series, and that one of the catchphrases for the series was "We are the two-in-one Kamen Rider! it makes sense that music from that series would fit.

[Ri2]

I think the only thing that would’ve made this better would’ve been dramatic pointing in the healing of OBJECTION! During the court scene.

[KR Chrome]

Since this is non-canon, how about Sunset and Rainbow meet Shotaro and Phillip? I dunno how to make it happen, though, bur I am sure you can figure it out.

[Fullmetal Prime]

Well we have our Hyper Battle form and it seems awesome!
Also I love how the judge let Unicorn take the stand wish more members of the legal system were more supporting of superheroes it would make life for both parties so much easier

[the other sans]

I wanting to make sure more than anything
“Right! Thanks!” Pulling out a green Gaia Memory, Unicorn slotted it into her left hip port. - forgot to colour text.
You father is currently being transported to a hospital to have his injuries treated

1. Wanted.
2. Forgot to colour Unicorns text.
3. Your.